title: A preliminary reliability and validity study of the Chinese version of the self-efficacy for exercise scale for older adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Population ageing affects most undeveloped, developing and developed countries. Less than a quarter of older people undertake a level of physical activity worldwide that is sufficient to lead to health benefits. Understanding older people's confidence regarding engaging in exercise helps to structure physical activity interventions that motivate them to initiate and adhere to regular exercise. Estimates of the reliability and validity of the English version of the self-efficacy for exercise (SEE) scale has been widely tested and shown to be valid for use in various settings and among older people. The reliability and validity of a Chinese version of the SEE for older adults has not been tested.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To undertake a preliminary assessment of the reliability and validity of the SEE scale when applied to the older Chinese adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Chinese version of the self-efficacy for exercise (SEE-C) scale was tested on a sample of 192 older people from Taiwan with a mean age of 71.2 years recruited between October and December 2003.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was acceptable internal consistency of the SEE-C scale. The fit of the measurement model to the data for the SEE-C scale was acceptable. There was evidence of validity of the measure based on hypothesis testing: health status predicted exercise self-efficacy, and exercise self-efficacy predicted physical activity. Those who exercised regularly (n=102) had a higher mean SEE-C score (5.3) than those who did not (2.9, n=90).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This preliminary validation study provided evidence for the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the SEE scale. Future testing of the SEE-C scale needs to be carried out to see whether these results are generalisable to older Chinese people living in urban areas and with different characteristics. A test of the scale among younger adults for a wider use of the instrument is also warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nursing, Tzu Chi College of Technology, and School of Nursing, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan. lllee@tccn.edu.tw
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Shoa-Jen
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Perng
authors.forename: Chin-Chih
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.forename: Hsiang-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Shu-Chuan
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.forename: Antony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arthur
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D020377:Self Efficacy